Masthay rewarded for perseverance

Green Bay Packers punter Tim Masthay entered the NFL as a non-drafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. He went

Tim Masthay

through the offseason program and the early portion of training camp before being released.

What followed was Masthay not giving up. He secured a part-time job and continued to work on his game.

The Packers signed Masthay on January 14, 2010, and he battled Australian Chris Bryan for the punting position during training camp. Masthay won that battle with a strong showing in the Family Night scrimmage as well as his preseason performance.

In 2011, Masthay had what was statistically the finest season of any punter in franchise history. He punted 55 times and set new franchise records for gross (45.6) and net (38.6) average, landing 23 of his punts inside the 20-yard line.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is the frequency with which Masthay actually has a chance. The Packers offense was so good last season that Masthay didn’t get many chances. And when he did, he hardly had an idea when they were coming.

Masthay was rewarded for his effort last season with a 4-year contract extension at the start of training camp. The four-year deal is worth more than $5.4 million and includes a $1.2 million signing bonus.